Closeness of The Heart
by BornOneWing
Summary: No one annoys Uzumaki Naruto more than Uchiha Sasuke. From the way he cuts his stupid hair, to his high test scores in class. But when the Uchiha finally gets out of his life, why does he keep finding things to hate about him? SasuNaru
1. Prologue

**Title:** Closeness of The Heart

**Rating: **T (high, sexual situations)

**Pairing: **Sasuke/Naruto

**Notes: **Dedicated to my crush that I "despised".

**Summary: **No one annoys Uzumaki Naruto more than Uchiha Sasuke. From the way he cuts his stupid hair, to his high test scores in class. But when the Uchiha finally gets out of his life, why does he keep finding things to hate about him? This is what happens when you walk the thin line between hate and love.

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

Uzumaki Naruto had known the boy named Uchiha Sasuke ever since he moved to the local elementary school in Konoha. His parents could finally afford to buy a house instead of all three of them living in a tiny apartment, so they moved into town where the schools were closer and better. At age six, Naruto was ecstatic. Little did he know, however, that people from Shippuden City were not liked amongst those in Konoha. In fact, most of the kids' parents disapproved of their children playing with Naruto, and a lot of kids even bullied the blond boy. The city had a bad reputation for gang wars, drugs and various other sorts of crime and poverty, so anyone who hailed from there was regarded lowly.

Naruto, of course, being just a kid, did not understand why the other kids did not like him, but he especially could not grasp why the teachers always ignored him as well. For many years this went on, and yet the Uzumaki child would still smile, grin confidently and go through terrible feats and mean pranks just to try and gain a friend, yet he was never successful.

Multiple times, the kid's life was put in danger. One such time was when Kintaro and his friends Mako and Lin told eight-year-old Naruto that they would let him play with them if he went to the man on the corner of Clay Street and stole all of his sticks. It turns out that the man was a drug dealer and the sticks were needles of heroin that the man was giving out to teenagers as samples so that they would buy from him.

If it wasn't for Naruto's father, Minato, Naruto would probably have been murdered. The drug dealer was high on LSD and whatever else he mixed in with it, and was so paranoid that he was ready to murder. Luckily, however, the chief of police, Namikaze Minato, was driving by on his way home from work when he spotted the situation. It did not take long before they detained the man and took him in. Naruto refused to confess the names of the kids who put him up to it, though.

By the time Naruto turned twelve, he learned to avoid such situations and was not so easily pranked. In fact, he was the one doing the pranking more often than not. They usually involved buckets falling on people's heads when they walked through the classroom door, or gum in the girls' hair. Most of the females in class did not like Naruto for this. In fact, they all thought he was an immature mongrel from the city. Naruto didn't really care; he just wanted them to remember who he is and that he exists.

Most of the time, the boy's pranks went off without a hitch, (besides getting in trouble all the time), but starting at the beginning of Naruto's sixth year in school, another boy often stepped in to steal his spotlight. The first time it ever happened, Naruto had just set up a bunch of pervy magazines on Iruka-sensei's desk so that when he walked in and sat down at his desk, he would get a nosebleed.

Normally, the plan would go just as Naruto invisioned. He couldn't wait for it to happen, so he sat at his usual desk, snickering with excitement and bouncing up and down in his chair. That's when the door opened and in walked a student that Naruto knew by the name of Uchiha Sasuke. He didn't much like the boy because he was always getting the answer right when he got called on in class and his test scores always had two zeros following a one. Naruto's usually had just one zero.

The stuck up Uchiha boy raised an eyebrow when he saw that Naruto was the only one in the room, but he continued to walk to his desk, which was in the back of the classroom. A crowd of girls came out of nowhere, as well, engulfing Sasuke from view. Naruto's good mood was totally ruined. Why do all the girls like him, anyway? He is so cold and rude and snobby. At least his prank would be a good one today.

Speaking of which, Iruka-sensei walks through the doorway, which prompts silence and scuffling of students that are rushing to get to their desks. Naruto can barely hold it in; he wants to start laughing his head off already. The sensei slowly makes his way towards the desk, but does not react. In fact, he just sits down and says, "Okay, class, today we will be…"

Naruto is very confused. Where did the magazines go? He was sure they were there. In fact, he had double checked on them right before that Uchiha Sasuke had stepped in…

"Naruto!" Iruka-sensei's yelling voice came out, making Naruto flinch.

"What, sensei?" He answers, wondering what in the world he could be in trouble for this time.

"Why are all these dirty magazines in your backpack? They don't even all fit! See, the zipper won't shut!"

"What the—"

"I can't believe this," sensei sighs, grabbing the offending bag. "And I thought we wouldn't have to deal with anything today."

"But sensei, I swear—"

"Enough, Naruto. Let's just go to the principal's office and get this over with."

As per usual, Naruto and Iruka-sensei started to make their way out of the classroom, but Naruto noticed something. A flash of black eyes. That Sasuke boy was smirking, mirth in his eyes. No way. Did he? But how? When!

And thus started Naruto's hatred for the Uchiha boy. The most frustrating part about it probably was that Naruto _never _won the mini wars between the two of them. He always was the one going to the office. In fact, it lasted all through the ninth year of school, in which the Uchiha boy became even more cold and distant and stopped paying even a glance to the blond haired boy all through the tenth year.

So then why was it that Naruto always was saying new things that he hated about Sasuke?

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** This is just the prologue. The chapters will be double the length and from Naruto's 3rd person. Does it have promise? Reivew? (pleading eyes)


	2. Chapter 1

**Title: **My Closest Enemy

**Rating: **T (high, sexual situations)

**Pairing: **Sasuke/Naruto

**Notes: **Dedicated to my crush that I "despised".

**Summary: **It all starts with Naruto receiving his punishment…what is the significance of that?

* * *

><p><strong>It All Starts At the End<strong>

It was the first day of school on this particular September morning. The warm humid air of summer still lingered about, lighting up the sky despite the early hour. Most of the kids in Konoha walked to school; only the rich kids had cars or a ride. There wasn't much of a need for a vehicle, though, because everyone lived within a mile of the building.

The front gates of the school were open when Uzumaki Naruto arrived, bag slung over his shoulder and walking alone. A few other groups of students shuffled by him, giggling and chattering about the summer, but he ignored them. It wasn't like he was late or anything. In fact, he was a full twenty minutes early. Why, one might ask? Well…

Other students did not like the blond haired teenager. In fact, most mornings, certain groups of people in the school would even cause him misery. Whether they steal his school stuff, pour hot beverages on his uniform, or 'accidentally' kick him in the shin, Naruto had had enough of the cruel actions. To solve the problem, he just arrives early enough to avoid undesirable confrontations.

Naruto had never been the type of kid that is overly concerned about appearing cool in front of his classmates. Just because he arrives early doesn't necessarily make him a loser or a loner, right? No. But also, he comes to see Shikamaru.

Nara Shikamaru is a boy who is frightfully ill with a case of excessive apathy. At first when Naruto met the boy, he was sure that Shikamaru was just stupid. But in reality, the teachers don't even hold a candle to his genius. Surprising, isn't it? But Shikamaru is the kind of guy that one can talk to. They might never get a real response, but he sure does listen. He cannot help but do so.

Shikamaru was on the roof of the school building when Naruto finally put his stuff in his locker and went to find him. The apathetic teenager usually could be found anywhere there was a window to look out of, or somewhere that he can lounge. His eyes were glued to the few wisps of white dabbing the blue ocean of the sky.

"Hey, there," Naruto greets enthusiastically, taking a seat on the end of the ratty recycled plastic bench. He does not receive a verbal reply, unless a grunt and a twitch of the shoulders counts, but yet he grins, slowly breathing in the coolness of the air left over from nightfall after dawn snuck over the horizon.

He and Nara weren't _friends _per se. But he never told Naruto to get lost and he never messed with his stuff, so he was alright in his book. And at least Naruto was not the only kid in school eating lunch _alone. _Of course, Akimichi Choji sat with them as well. Ask any student in Konoha High School and they will tell you that the two losers of the school are named Shikamaru and Choji, but then there is one idiot beyond repair called Naruto.

The thought makes Naruto chuckle, which earns no acknowledgement from the partially-sleeping boy next to him on the bench. Five minutes later, however, the school bell does. The two boys meander down the stairs and into the school, separating without a word when Naruto does to get his school supplies from his locker. If he left his books and notebooks in class, they usually would be ripped and stolen.

The warning bell sounds just as Naruto steps into the classroom, as it has done every day in the past years at this school. Unlike in the city, everyone's seat in class is determined by the first letter of their last name. Luckily for the blond boy, his last name starts with "U" so he gets the farthest seat in the back of the classroom on the right side. Why is this so lucky? It is the best seat in the classroom! You can practically get away with anything back there. Staring out the window? Sure. Throwing paper? Of course. Shredding erasers? Why not. It is also possible to see every student in the entire classroom, including the ones entering the doorway. Perfection.

Choji, who is much more talkative than Naruto's other comrade, turns around in the front seat to greet Naruto. The sight is rather upsetting because Choji is continuously eating from a box of cereal and not swallowing before he talks. But then again, that is just how Choji is.

The rest of the class files in begrudgingly, remembering where their seats are, but still grouping up and chatting. What is there to chat about, anyway? Naruto never knew. He really is not soft-spoken or anything, but he never has endless subjects to ponder with multiple people. That's when a very delicately featured girl with hair the color of flowers walks in with her crew. Naruto feels his heart rate suddenly pick up, and he gets a bit jittery. ADD, his doctor had informed his parents when he was seven. But Minato and Kushina didn't want Naruto to be taking weird drugs and they knew that their son could deal with it in his own way. And Naruto did.

Haruno Sakura. Even her name is beautiful. Naruto knows pretty much everything about her. Her mom is a housewife and her dad is a traveling businessman. It makes her sad that he leaves so often, but they still have a loving relationship. She is an only child, but is still kind-hearted and selfless. She has worn the same perfume every day since the sixth year of school. It is a soft tame cherry blossom scent that she always applies to her neck. She is very smart; always getting within five places of the best grades in class. Did Naruto mention that she is athletic? Yeah, she is on the soccer team and from what he heard, she is their best kicker.

Naruto is certain that no one looks at good in the school uniform as Sakura. The navy blue and white goes perfectly with her hair, skin and eyes. He must have been staring because suddenly he sees her looking back, but quickly recognizes a glare and averts his gaze. Oops. That is the only thing about Sakura that is off; she finds Naruto to be extremely annoying. Naruto recalls that her exact words were, "an infuriating waste of space and time."

Ouch. She had even punched his head after that. Naruto thinks that perhaps she was a boxer in her past life. Her gang consists of Yamanaka Ino, Himura Tenten, Yuu Kagura and sometimes Ametsu Konan hangs out with them. Ino is definitely a wannabe of her. Tenten is the kind of girl that is endlessly spunky and fun. Kagura scares Naruto a bit with her aggressive attitude and towering height. Who knew girls could be six feet tall? Naruto knows nothing about Konan; she is in twelfth year and rarely hangs out with Sakura. Sakura is without a doubt the most popular girl in school, though. Everyone knows her name. Most students look up to her, if not only for her help with homework or studying. That is why she is Naruto's ideal girl. Now if only she would like him, too.

She is more preoccupied with that _Uchiha Sasuke_. There is nothing nice Naruto has to say about the one associated with that name. In fact, there is no one in the school that he hates as much as Sasuke. And for a good reason. He is the type of guy that would sell out his friends if it made his reputation look good. Not to mention, he is ugly. His hair is plain, straight and black and his eyes are dull and grey. He is too skinny and has an angry expression all the time. Naruto, on the other hand, finds himself to possess all of the attractive qualities that Sasuke lacks.

And Naruto did not even mention how much of a jerk Sasuke is. Sakura bared her heart to him, asking him out to the basketball game at the start of last year, but the bastard turned her down. He apparently mentioned having 'better things to do than go to some stupid game with some nitwit.'

Naruto could just punch him for that. Fold his fist into his stupid smirking face. Show him how nobody likes him. His fists clench at the intensity of the thought.

"What's with that face?" Says a vanilla smooth, deep voice from a chair in front of him. "Trying to look less girly with that grimace?"

"Fuck you," Naruto bursts out, clenching his hands on the surface of his desk. The other school bastard, Hyuuga Neji, was leaning over the back Usahara Makoto's chair, knees planted on the seat and face extended forward.

"You would like that, wouldn't you, fancy boy?" He sneers.

"Look who's fancy with his long girl hair," Naruto retaliates, making the other boy grimace and make an annoyed sound.

"Neji?" Calls Tenten from across the room. She giggles a little and the sound is followed by the other girls giggling as well.

"What is it?" Hyuuga calls, voice drastically more friendly and curious.

He leaves, upsetting the chair on his way over. Great. Even the bullies won't spend much of their attention on him. Why does he even go to school? It isn't like the teachers care what grades he gets.

Even if Naruto's grades are probably the lowest in the class, not even Naruto's parents will criticize him. They just do not have the heart to yell at their son for something he is trying every day to improve. Sometimes that fact makes Naruto very mad because he blames his parents for not pushing him hard enough.

Naruto is left with that thought at Iruka-sensei walks in and stands behind his desk, doing the necessary introductions for the few new students.

* * *

><p>It isn't until lunch time that anything unusual happens. In fact, the day had been quite boring so far. Stupid start-of-the-new-school-year activities and long winded talks about personal lives in each class. It isn't as if everyone doesn't know everybody already!<p>

The day got significantly hotter by noon, and Naruto was sweating slightly in his blue blazer and tie. Damn the board of school directors making students wear formal clothes in already uncomfortable situations. At least there were shorts.

The line for food was long, as it usually was the first day back. They always served spaghetti, which was a school favorite. Naruto didn't like it much, though. He stuck with the bowl meals. They had a lot more food in them, and the blond can surely pack away a lot.

As Naruto paid, counting the change he got just in case, his eyes swept over the cafeteria. He, Shikamaru and Choji have sat at the same table ever since they met in seventh year. Before that, Naruto ate in the bathroom, or not at all. What can he say; he sure liked recess.

Just as the blond was sure that he was looking in the right direction, he noticed something was off. Shikamaru's spiky hair and Choji's large stomach were nowhere in sight. In fact, their usual table was overflowing with…Naruto's personal opinion of some of the worst people in Konoha High.

"Move it, lardy," some girl with purple hair complains, shoving Naruto's elbow. He ignores this, but moves to the side wall in favor of having a shocked reaction.

What. The. Hell. Is Uchiha Fucking Sasuke doing at his table? This cannot happen. Never. He is going to march up to Shikamaru and Choji and tell them that they must demand their spot back! It is their table. No one else's. What kind of nerve does it take to steal the loser table? The nerve of Sasuke, that's who.

Shikamaru and Choji are awkwardly standing by the wall just as Naruto is doing, but across the room. Naruto's waves a hand to signal, and runs over to greet them.

"What's with the crowd at our table?" Choji asks, eyeing his overflowing tray of specific delectable items.

"How annoying," Shikamaru adds, hand gripping a brown lunch bag by his leg.

"Those bastards," Naruto exclaims, to which Shikamaru has no reaction. Choji gulps loudly. "We cannot let this happen. Let's go take it back."

"I'd rather just find another table," Shikamaru says, glancing at the ceiling, arm behind his head.

"Yeah, let's do that. I'm starving."

"What?" Naruto shouts suddenly, making a table of boys and one girl glare at him.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" Shikamaru asks with no concern.

"We can't give in to their bullying," Naruto explains, trying to reason for his side.

"What bullying?" Choji asks between munches.

"That's what is going on! He is forcing us out of our spot just to spite us!"

"Who is 'he'?" The lazy boy asks, suddenly a bit more attentive.

"_Him. _The guy who took our table. Uchiha Sasuke, remember?"

Shikamaru raises and eyebrow and looks pointedly at their former home base. "Naruto, he isn't the only one sitting there."

"Yeah," Naruto sighs in relief, "he recruited his horde to make matters worse."

The other two best friends exchange glances, concerned over the determined, furious look on Naruto's face. However, they both come to a silent consensus and shrug.

"We'll be sitting over there," Choji point to a table very nearby. "Come join us if you wish."

Naruto does not seem to notice, but he mumbles to himself nasty phrases under his breath. Plans are forming. Plots are hatching. Time for action. Sasuke's head bobs in a nod when Juugo speaks to him.

* * *

><p>"Uzumaki Naruto!" Booms the voice of one Tetsuya Jiraya, principal of student discipline at Konoha High School. He had dealt with more cases of misbehavior than any other, yet none compare to how much of a repeat-offender Naruto is.<p>

Naruto glances sheepishly up from where he is sitting on the floor, awash in soapy grime-slicked food. The substance is rather disgusting, but it is easy to ignore when your heart is pounding a mile a minute as he gets in trouble for the billionth time.

The original plan had been to soak the people sitting at their table with the filthy dishwater, but it obviously backfired. Seriously, that foot had come out of nowhere! Naruto cannot help the fact that he tripped and spilled the dishwater on himself.

But it was truly frustrating how the blond teenager didn't even get close to the table, let alone far outside of the kitchen doors. Lunch was ending and Sasuke, Juugo, Karin, Deidara, Sasori and Kimimaro were all walking away without getting an earful from one outgoing loser about their crime.

Blue eyes glared at the back of spiked blue-black hair as it got farther away, not really noticing the chaos surrounding him. Right as the Uchiha was about to exit the cafeteria, his head turned at a ninety-degree angle to the right. In that flash of a second, Naruto swore just for a moment that he saw a smirk grace those lips.

But surely not. That bastard had not paid the school loser even a glance in the past two years. And why should he? A goody two shoes genius should not care about a prankster with no friends and hardly any points on his tests. The showoff.

* * *

><p>Jiraya sighs loudly and obnoxiously, sitting down with a plunk at his desk. Naruto sits in a familiar chair across the way, arms folding and lips pouting. He had an opportunity to wash up a bit before being disciplined because Jiraya did not want him stinking up his office. It was a stupid office, anyway. Lame posters with motivational phrases that really have nothing to do with the picture are decorating the walls and a cheap looking green curtain shields the student from the outdoors.<p>

If Naruto had to see the poster that said, "Reading Can Take You To New Places", one more time, he would go insane.

"What exactly was happening with the dishwater and the bucket?" The man asks, eyes closed, elbows on the wooden surface.

"Some jerkasses stole our lunch table," Naruto claims, unrestrained.

"Anyone can sit anywhere, Uzumaki," Jiraya looks contemplative. "Why did this upset you so much?"

"Hmmm, I dunno, let me see. Me and my friends have been sitting at this one table for four fucking years! And you expect us to just back off?"

"Language, please, Naruto. And I didn't see Shikamaru or Choji acting out. Just you. Why?"

Teachers are so infuriating. It is so obvious! "Because! Can't you see that I'm being harassed by him?"

Jiraya's eyes go wide. "Harassed? That is a very serious thing to say. Who did you think is harassing you?"

Naruto mumbles something under his breath and sinks back into his chair.

"What was that? Didn't catch it."

"Uchiha."

Jiraya laughs. But then he stops, stares, and laughs again.

"What?"

"Uchiha is a model student. He has never so much as been told to quiet down _and_ he gets straight A's. He is partially the reason why our school has decent state testing scores."

"Yeah, well, you don't know what he acts like to me," Naruto retorts, anger rising.

The white haired man sighs once more, which really irks the teen. Steepling his fingers on the desk, he goes quiet for a full three minutes. Naruto gets really fidgety.

"What exactly are your goals, Naruto?"

"Goals? Like what?"

'"Academic goals, career goals, anything that comes to mind," the man explains. "Your grades are abysmal. Judging from them, I would say that you are no smarter than a three year old. Why do you keep at it?"

"Hehehe," Naruto laughs at his knees where they poke out from his shorts. "I don't think you noticed it, sensei. Every year, I submit myself as a candidate for class president."

"I've never seen you run."

"Exactly. I'm always immediately rejected. But this year, I won't be. This year I will be elected class president!" The determination in the blond's eyes was kind of frightening, but it was evident how much thought he had given this.

Jiraya nods, albeit curtly and unfolds his hands, standing and stretching towards the ceiling. "You can go, Naruto. I believe there is still one class period left."

"You mean….no," Naruto gulps, "punishments?"

"Well, I wasn't going to, but now that you mention it…"

"You have got to be kidding me." The light of hope in his eye fades.

"Cleaning duty," the teacher nods, holding his chin with his hand. "You will clean the cafeteria after lunch for thirty minutes."

"What? That is not fun at all, sensei!"

"For a month."

"Gahhhhhhhhhhhh!" Naruto grabs his hair, and storms out of the office, swearing like a sailor down the halls.

Jiraya sighs and grabs his hip flask, taking a long swig and letting out a gust of air from his lungs when he is done. It really surprised him when Naruto stated that he was trying to become class president. Kami knows that they could all use a guy like Uzumaki Naruto shaking things up in this school.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I wasn't really satisfied with this. But it will have to do. I'm using a cafeteria even though a lot of Japanese schools have lunch in their classrooms and the school lunches are brought on carts. Has anyone seen the Naruto Gakuen manga thing? Well their school uniforms are essentially that. I hope you enjoyed reading! And maybe you will review?


	3. Chapter 2

**Title: **My Closest Enemy

**Rating: **T (high, sexual situations)

**Pairing: **Sasuke/Naruto

**Notes: **Dedicated to my crush that I "despised".

**Summary: **Naruto's life really isn't that shabby. It's just fate that's cruel.

* * *

><p><strong>A Chance Call and The First Encounter<strong>

Naruto got home that evening to an empty house and cabinets full of food. Most evenings, his parents didn't get home until eight at night. Instead of learning how to cook dinner, though, he just makes instant ramen every night. When Kushina asks, Naruto tells her that he ate a sandwich and a bowl of carrots and celery. It is not like Naruto will pass up the opportunity for ramen every night of the weekday just because he has to walk a few blocks to the convenience store to buy it.

The old man, Teuchi, who owns the place often times gives Naruto the ramen for free. Naruto keeps the business going, in a sense, because whenever he goes there he tends to stick around. At school, this would have the opposite affect, but at the store, the blond teen's presence draws in children, their mothers and the occasional granny. Naruto always has interesting stories to tell and he is polite and friendly to all of the customers. Teuchi's daughter also loves the boy, and an almost sibling-like relationship formed between them over the years.

No one at school knows that Naruto frequents this store because if they saw him, it was likely that they would spread bad rumours about him to the customers. Also, Naruto lives on the other side of town compared to most students at Konoha High School. Naruto's parents didn't know any better when they moved to Konoha that all the kids lived near the older part of town where their past generations of lingeage had settled in. That alone was the main cause of the blond's alienation. If you did not share a street, and a childhood, you were an outsider. In fact, you were considered temporary. But Naruto never felt temporary. He knew that Konoha was his home, no matter where he came from. He loved it here, but he especially loved it compared to the city.

When he and his mom go driving to get groceries, there is never traffic. Back in Shippuden, going to the store would mean an hour of just sitting in the car, waiting for the green light in the right spot. Naruto cannot remember much else about living in the city, though. He has never thought fondly of the place or considered it his place of origin.

That is why as Naruto waits the dreaded three minutes for the water to boil, he is a bit annoyed when the phone starts to screech in its high-pitched way of informing him of a call. He grumbles, pushing off from the spot on the counter in which he was leaning, and marches over to check the tiny screen that says who is calling. The number reads 008-345-444, Unknown. Naruto usually never answers the phone if it is not a number he knows. Who wants to talk to the twenty telemarketers that call every day? No one, that's who.

But 008 is a local area code. And it could be someone from school. The school phonebook is a terrible idea for those who want to stay away from the torments of their classmates. In fact, there have been several prank calls to Naruto's house, which thankfully occoured when his parents weren't home, but nothing too bad. Other kids don't want to go out of their way to make Naruto's life hell. They do when it is convenient, but not if it requires effort. Naruto clicks the green button.

"Hello?"

"…Sorry, wrong number," says a deep, curt voice.

"Wha—how do you know? I didn't even say my name yet," the blond boy leans back on the counter, examining the kettle of water. Tendrils of smoke coil out throught the tiny hole in the spout.

"…bye," the voice sounds unsure.

"Hold up one minute," Naruto raises his voice, "if you know me you should at least tell me who you are."

"Why should I?" The voice responds, suddenly. Obviously a knee-jerk reaction to my statement, but the angry tone is immediately cut off. "Why am I still on the phone wasting time? Goodbye, Naruto."

The phone clicks dead. Blue eyes stare at the grey box. They really did know who he was. Naruto was just joking. Holy crap! Someone out there knows his number now! Whether it really was a wrong number or not is still up to debate...Oh god. What if this guy decides that abusing the amount of calls to the house number just to annoy Naruto is a good idea? What will he tell his parents? He has kept his unpopularity a secret thus far, but he cannot outright lie if they ask why someone is harassing him.

The teenager's frantic thoughts are cut off by the whistling of the water, which brings his attention to turning the stove off and pouring the water into the cup. Dinner is silent, as usual. The rest of the night consists of staring at school assignments and deciding that it is best if Naruto _doesn't_ prepare a speech about his best qualities that he has to read in front of the class tomorrow, and playing video games. Good ol' video games can keep a guy busy for more than ten hours straight. Of course, there are always the insane lunatics who can play for days on end without stopping. Naruto falls asleep at eleven at night, face pressed against the controller along with a bunch of drool. Minato checks on him before he goes to bed, smilling and kissing his hair before retiring to his own room.

* * *

><p>The next morning proves that routine is quickly moulding itself into the body of everyday life. Wake up, eat breakfast, brush teeth, put on school uniform and walk to school. The blond boy with whisker-like markings on his face rises with the sun, knowing that the same will not be the case come winter when there is no sun. He is certainly not a morning person, but getting to school early is kind of important. In fact, he makes great time on the walk to school, not being distracted by any little kids who get to start school a week later than the high schoolers.<p>

One in particular, Konohamaru, often challenges Naruto to fights to the death. Those really slow the blond down on his way to school. But, today he got there with a decent amount of time to spare. In fact, today he found Shikamaru louging against the concrete building wall out back by the water fountains for gym class. The weather was still warm enough that the lazy boy could lie in the shadow of the building, on the grass and not feel cold.

Naruto approaches the boy, making to attack him from behind, but Shikamaru stands up, clocking Naruto in the chin.

"Fuck!" He shouts, cradling his jaw and teeth. Shikamaru shrugs, unaffected.

"What are you doing here, Naruto?"

"I'm here every morning, dummy," Naruto counters.

"Oh," the other boy muses, waving a hand around. "I just assumed that you were suspended."

"Oh, thank you for having so much faith in me, Shika."

"Anytime."

"You jerk," Naruto bites.

Shikamaru shrugs and sits down on the bench, fists resting under his chin. Naruto sits too, leaning back and looking at the sky. There are some clouds today, but nothing threatening. Just puffy, white, large, mash-like clouds. Naruto feels hungry already. Out in the distance, someone is running on the red rubber track.

"He runs every morning before school," says a bored-sounding voice. Naruto follows Shikamaru's gaze, looking out into the distance and squinting to make out the runner. Damn near-sightedness. Black spikes….pale as fuck legs…

"Uchiha?" Naruto spits, turning to his friend.

"I guess some guys think they have to stay in shape," Shikamaru comments, chin moving in his hand. "I would not even bother. Besides, I am plenty thin already."

Naruto snorts, "Being thin doesn't mean you are healthy. But I really couldn't see you being an athlete, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru nods, relaxing back as well and looking up to the endless blue. They sit in silence for quite a while, Sasuke passing by twice before more kids start filing around. Mostly girls who want to watch Sasuke.

"Why would a guy like him want to run, anyway?" Naruto muses, glaring at the black shorts and white shirt blur that runs alone. "Doesn't he have school crap to do? It isn't like he is fat."

Shikamaru snorts. "I don't get guys like him. Guys like Sasuke have too many conflicts and too many thoughts. It is better to just relax when you can."

"Pretty much," Naruto nods, mostly agreeing with his friend. But there is definitely something else. It is just wrong in general. Sasuke really doesn't need to be showing off by running when he knows all of those girls will only pay attention to him. Especially Sakura. Over years of observing her, Naruto noticed that she makes a reason to hang out wherever Sasuke is. The blond boy see her now, pink hair and blond hair sitting under a maple tree. There is no reason for her to be back here. In fact, most students hang around inside the school. But it is that jerk that she is so enamored with. She still will not give up, even after rejection.

She must really love him.

"Naruto? Naruto, you idiot?"

"Huh?" Naruto turns, surprised that he didn't hear Shikamaru.

"I asked what happened with Jiraya-sensei?"

"Oh," Naruto points his finger at his lip, "I got a punishment."

"What is it?" Shikamaru asks, staring at the soles of his shoes.

"Cleaning the caf after lunch," Naruto replies, frowning already.

"Ugh, gross," Shikamaru shrugs, setting his arms in a fold on his knees.

"Tell me about it," Naruto grumbles, wishing that the thought of his punishment didn't bring about the bad memories of Jiraya-sensei telling him that he was essentially mentally disabled. It isn't like the blond has not been hearing that his whole life; Iruka-sensei was especially fond of ignoring Naruto's purposeful screw-ups or just shrugging him off when he had a question in class. Of course, it was always Sasuke who raised his hand and answered the question just to impress the teacher and the other students as well as make Naruto look bad.

That bastard is one of the main reasons why Naruto gets so angry about school work and his bad grades. He was always trying to one-up Naruto by giving a better answer or getting praised by the teacher. He even called Naruto a dead-last loser in front of the whole class once. Everyone cracked up. It was probably one of the worst school days of Naruto's life.

Thank god, lately that has not happened. In fact, for the past two years, that bastard has not spoken a word directly to Naruto. He probably feels too important to talk to the most loser-y of losers in the entire school.

The bell rings and Naruto and Shikamaru separate, the former going to find Choji and tell him something important. Choji's father and Shikamaru's father are essentially close friends, so often times Shikamaru or Choji will have a message from one father to another. Naruto is used to Shikamaru or Choji just leaving him with a word. It's not like Naruto is a girl; he can handle not receiving an excuse or a goodbye.

Classes go by, but Naruto does not pay attention, as usual. There really is no point whether he tries to break his brain over math equations or not. There is just no way he will ever understand school subjects. It doesn't help that no teacher will answer his questions or encourage him to learn. Naruto sits in the back of every class and doodles on papers. It only took a few years before he became a decent artist. He wraps his arms in a circle around the drawings to ensure that other kids don't look over and see what he is drawing. Most of his drawings or sketches are of Sakura. She would beat his brains out if she ever saw.

Naruto only sketches in class out of boredom; he is in no way considered an art freak at his school. He also doesn't take any art classes. Those are just not Naruto's style. Music is out as well because after a month of fruitless recorder practice, Naruto's parents made him give it up lest they loose their hearing. Naruto just cannot see himself being all technical about his art. Art should just come from whatever materials and images you have in your head. If you try to force it, it will not be any good.

Now, it isn't as if Naruto _never _pays attention in class. In fact, he is always listening or looking when required. Teachers call on the student who appears to not be paying attention, so Naruto tries to be prepared with a decent attempt at answering. It usually flops, but Naruto still feels like he is trying. He will never stop trying to learn. It is just kind of pointless to expect him to be able to take tests or do assignments when he doesn't learn that way. He learns by doing.

By eleventh year, most of the teachers do not expect much of Naruto and most of the other students don't rush to be Naruto's partner with assignments. Choji and Naruto always end up as a team because Shikamaru is too lazy to actually do work at school and probably too smart to waste his time on stupid worksheets, anyway.

Choji and Naruto get on alright, though they have practically nothing in common. Naruto takes interest in what is happening around school. Choji could care less about anything except for food and assignments. Both he and Shikamaru are uninterested in girls for different reasons.

For Shikamaru, 'Girls are annoying and a bother to date. I will just marry some lady when I'm done with college.' For Choji, 'Girls….I don't really understand them at all. I won't waste my effort pining away about a certain one if she isn't going to like me'.

The thought of seeing Sakura during lunch brightened Naruto's mood, despite the fact that the trio now had to sit at a previously empty table, far from their original location. The blond grumbled the whole time, mumbling under his breath about such things as popularity hierarchies and student body psychology.

Perhaps it was Choji wolfing down six school hamburgers, or maybe it was the way Shikamaru pointed out depressing things about other students, but Naruto was not feeling hungry at all. He picked at the three school-made onigiri, but mostly stared boredly into space.

"What's eating you, blondie?" Shikamaru asks, causing Naruto to start at the semi-aggressive tone.

"Nothing. Why would anything be eating me?"

"You idiot," the lazy kid says mildly, "is it about your cleaning duty after lunch?"

Fuck. Naruto forgot about that. Dammit. Shit. Not only will he have to miss important lectures in math, but he has to spend thirty minutes cleaning after his jerky peers who trashed the place to begin with.

"Y-yeah," Naruto chuckles, rubbing the back of his head. "Stupid cleaning duty. It's so fucking unfair!"

A few girls nearby stop giggling and glare at Naruto's general direction.

Shikamaru nods. "That's a better reaction."

"Yeah," Choji mumbles with rice in his mouth, "that Jiraya-sensei is really strict. I'm sure he would have let Sasuke off on that one as long as he promised to keep getting good state test scores."

Naruto clenches his fist and then explodes. "Yeah. Damn bastard Uchiha Sasuke. He thinks he rules the school! Every year he makes class president! Even if I give out food people won't acknowledge me as a candidate!"

"Well…" Choji says carefully, "Sasuke is very popular. And he is the smartest student in school. It isn't really a bad thing that he gets…"

Shikamaru is signaling rapidly to his friend with a hand slicing across his neck. Too bad Choji caught on too late.

"Oh yeah? Well what is wrong with me for president, fatty?" Naruto yells.

An ominous aura seeps out of Choji from every pore. "Don't. Call. Me. FATTY!"

"N-no, Choji, I didn't mean it," Naruto cowers under his hands from where the kid towers above him, hands in threatening fists.

Shikamaru sighs and shrugs his shoulders. Those two are always at it. Such a bother.

* * *

><p>Lunch ends and Shikamaru and Choji clear out with the vein-like bloodflow of children going to class. Naruto is left standing awkwardly by the door to the backroom where the cafeteria prepares the lunches. He waits for a few minutes, unsure whether or not they forgot about him.<p>

It turns out that they didn't because not long later, a lady with puffy grey hair in a purple hairnet and a frog-like appearance shows up and calls Naruto's name.

"Yes!" Naruto turns, saluting.

The lady narrows her eyes, but starts giving the rundown on the cleaning. The tools are a rag, a bucket, soap, a mop, and various other cleaning fluids for specific messes. Naruto tries to listen, but he mostly figures that when he gets to it, it will all make sense.

Naruto has all of thirty minutes to scrub the entire cafeteria, so he gets to it. Fifteen minutes in, he is halfway done with the floors and finished with the tables. He also stacked the tables against the back walls. He has to go dump the bad water and get new water from the outside water tap, but when he gets back, he is greeted with about twenty wooden easels.

"What the fuck?" Naruto asks himself, running carefully with the full bucket back to his previous spot. He sets the bucket down, feeling twenty pairs of eyes also on him. Apparently art class had moved into here?

"Naruto," said a surprised, feminine voice. "You're supposed to be in class."

Kurenai-sensei. That must mean this is her painting class. By the position of their easels, Naruto can only guess that they are painting the landscape outside through the window.

"I'm doing my punishment, sensei," Naruto exclaimed, knowing that she was used to him having punishments to do.

"Ah, I see," Kurenai nods to her class, "just do not disturb the students, please. Carry on."

Naruto dislikes being ordered to do things like he is a dog, but he goes back to it. After all, what else can he do? He still has fifteen minutes.

A few moments later finds the blond teenager coming closer to the group as he goes down the row of unclean floor. He's about to turn around and go the other direction when he spots something over the easel. Black and blue spikes stick out above white canvas.

A rush of emotion fills Naruto's veins. "Bastard? Why the heck do I have to do this when you have class in here!"  
>"Uzumaki Naruto!" Exclaims the usually clam art teacher. "Please,"<p>

"I can't take this, sensei!" Naruto tears at his hair, then points behind him to Sasuke. "Why do I have to have punishment at the same time this guy is in the room? He's the one who made it so I have to clean, anyway!"

The black spikes bristled. "Well, it's no picnic having you here, dumbass."

Naruto screeches out an odd noise. "See, sensei? He's a bastard!"

"ENOUGH," Kurenai shouts, surprising Naruto greatly. She sure can sound scary when she wants to. "Naruto please do not disrupt my class any longer. If this ever happens again, I will take you to Jiraya-sensei and he can decide your fate."

Naruto turns sharply, crossing his arms and marching back to his bucket. He picks up the mop and furiously dunks it in the bucket, splashing the canvas that Sasuke was sketching on in pencil.

A black brow twitches. "You idiot! You got my canvas wet. The whole thing is ruined, now."

"Well, good," Naruto bites, sweeping the mop forward like he was going to start dancing.

"Naruto, this is your absolute last warning. No talking."

"Yes, ma'm."

Sometimes, to survive, you have to please the ones who wear the big shoes. Even when bastards are making you seem like a dumb class clown. Stupid Sasuke. He thinks he can get whatever he wants if he just turns his gaze at it. Guys like him who do not know what it's like to work hard for something are worthless.

The dumb black-haired bastard kept sketching self-righteously as Naruto completed the last square foot of floor and slumped onto the wet ground.

For the love of Kami. There is only so long Naruto can last in the presence of that guy. This punishment is going to kill him.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Well, this chapter was fun! I hope you enjoyed it~ More interesting things should start to happen soon. Who was the caller? Well, that isn't too mysterious, is it? Sometimes it takes a certain event to trigger another. Review? (starry eyes)


	4. Chapter 3

**Title: **My Closest Enemy

**Rating: **T (high, sexual situations)

**Pairing: **Sasuke/Naruto

**Notes: **Dedicated to my crush that I "despised".

**Summary:** Naruto signs up to run for class president. But of these strange encounters?

* * *

><p>That night, Naruto's mother got let off of work early and she came home at around four o'clock in the afternoon. Naruto had been down the street, entertaining Konohamaru and his group of little brats when she arrived, but he did not find out of her arrival until late evening when he got hungry and went inside.<p>

Naruto's mom is great; really, she is. But, the questions and prying that the teen was often subjected to when his mom had the time to ask was not particularly a good thing. Especially when there was yet another thing that the blond boy is being disciplined for causing.

"Hey honey," Kushina's playful tone rings out from the kitchen where she attempting to cook. Minato seemed to be better at house things like cooking and cleaning for some reason. But Kushina still tries.

"Mom? You're here?" Naruto asks, hurrying to shuck his shoes off and step onto the wooden floor with his socks, nearly slipping and breaking his neck as he races down the hallway. He approaches the kitchen doorway and enters, observing from afar the contents of the pan that his mother was tending to. "Smells good, mom."

"Thanks," she grins, expression mirroring that on her boy's face. "What were you doing?"

"Playing with those kids down the street," Naruto answers. "You know, Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon."

Kushina laughs, but is obviously trying to hold it in.

"Don't laugh, mom, those are their names!" Naruto chides, stomping a foot on the floor.

Her laughing dies down, but she speaks again, "Aren't they still elementary students?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Do you usually hang out with them?" Kushina stirs the food purposefully and turns the oven to a lower heat.

Oh boy. Time to lie to his mother. Naruto knows that she wants to see him being very popular and having many friends at school that are his own age, but that just won't happen. But, that will change soon. As soon as Naruto becomes class president.

"No, mom," Naruto fakes annoyance, "I usually hang out with Shikamaru and Choji, but they made family plans."

"Oh, they're related?"

"No," Naruto says, relieved. "Their fathers are best friends. They like to have dinner parties together."

"I see," red strands fall in front of her eyes from behind her ears. She pushes them back. "Well, how is school going?"

Naruto sighs, leaning against the smaller countertop on the right. When you can't tell the truth, it feels a lot like an interrogation.

"Fine, mom," Naruto replies, adding a grin afterwards for good measure.

"Haven't been getting into trouble?" His mom asks, accusatorily.

"Nope!" Naruto nods, grateful that his punishment is during the day so that he doesn't have to get a note signed by his parents. He's itching to leave and go to his room where he can watch television in peace and maybe play some video games. Even stare at his homework assignment if he has time.

"Good. Anything else, Naruto? Interesting stories…funny people…"

"No, mom. School is never _that _entertaining."

"Okay, okay, I get it. You don't want to talk to your old mother," Kushina laughs.

"You're looking younger every day, mom," Naruto says, sincerely. They both laugh a bit, and Naruto says he's going upstairs, to which he gets told to be down for dinner.

When he sees his bed, looking like the coziest thing in existence, he flops onto the soft duvet and falls dead asleep within a few minutes.

* * *

><p>He was dreaming. That was most certain because in reality, you cannot walk vertically up a tree. The tree seemed to go on forever and ever, reaching into the black of the night sky. That is, until it was no longer a tree, but a tunnel.<p>

Naruto's shadow seemed to stretch out along the near lightless hallways in which he was sprinting, chasing something. When he looks to see what it is he is running to desperately after, there is a bob of black spikes disappearing in the shadows ahead.

He raced towards it upon realizing that it was another person, but suddenly he saw who the hell it was. _Sasuke._ As soon as that thought formed in his brain, the black spikes stopped moving and turned abruptly around. Naruto's body, which was rushing forward with all its strength, could not stop and crashed into him, shattering and turning to dust.

Just as Naruto was wondering what in the world he was going to do now that he is dust, a voice interrupted his thoughts. His body seemed to twitch, and suddenly he was opening his eyes to his room.

"Naruto," the voice said again, now standing right next to him.

"Hmmm," Naruto sighs sleepily. His memory of the weird dream completely faded into nonexistence.

"I said dinner is ready," his mom replies, exasperated.

"Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes," the blond boy replied, stretching out his ribs and yawning widely.

* * *

><p>Dinner was the usual affair, just like on the weekends when at least one of Naruto's parents were home and not working late. The food itself was pretty good, but nothing to brag about. It isn't as if Kushina is a bad cook; she just could use a lot of practice. And maybe a few classes. But it was edible and enough for someone who is hungry.<p>

Naruto was about to finish off his rice when his mother spoke again. They had talked a bit, albeit not having much to say.

"Hey, remember my friend from work?" She asks, paying close attention to a piece of chicken between her chopsticks.

Naruto scratched his head. "No."

"Oh you silly boy," she sighs before eating the food and chewing fast. "Her name is Mikoto, remember? The painter from floor ten."

"Hmm…" Naruto scratches his head, twisting his mouth sideways in an attempt to remember.

"Oh for heaven's sake!" Kushina explodes, slamming the table. Naruto laughs sheepishly. "The one who painted that mural of the red and white fan down by the police station."

"Ohhhh," Naruto drawls, rolling his eyes. "You should have said so in the first place."

His mother's eyebrows twitch in annoyance, mouth pouting, but she continues.

"Anyway, she was telling me about her younger son. I didn't even know she had a _younger _son. I just thought Itachi was her only one."

"Really, now?" Naruto asks, not really paying too much attention. He was waiting for the point in the story that he knew his mom would eventually make.

"Anyway, she was telling me that she remembered that you go to Konoha High School and so does her son, Sasuke!"

Naruto's body jerks into tension. His grips on the chopsticks tighten until both of the wooden sticks snap between his fingers. The blond spiky bangs on his forehead hang over, covering his eyes from view.

"Sasuke?"

"Yep," Kushina replies, waving a finger and looking off into space, "do you know him?"

Naruto takes a deep breath or two, hiding the broken chopsticks in his napkin. Lucky that he gets his air-headedness from his mom or she might have noticed.

"Hmmm, no," Naruto offered, "I don't recall the name. Perhaps he's unpopular or something."

Kushina's attention is brought back to her child and she grins. He grins back.

"What are you still doing here, Naruto?" She chides, suddenly after a few seconds of silent thought. "Go to your room and finish your homework!"

"Yes, ma'm!"

* * *

><p>Naruto woke up the next morning with one thing in mind: going to the student council office and nominating himself to run for class president.<p>

The unpleasant conversation with his mom the night before had not been forgotten, but he tried his best not think about it. Why, of all the people in the company, does his mom have to befriend the mother of _him? _

Naruto's mother works for a company that supplies many different forms of art. On floor ten, most of those employed are painters, and where his mom works on floor nine, the graphic designers reside. As a graphic designer, his mom makes webpage interfaces, pamphlet designs and other various art media made with the computer.

Kushina really enjoys her job despite the fits of anger towards all technology that she sometimes sports. During those times, Naruto's dad usually leaves Naruto to calm her down while he shuts off all computers or other things that could be harmed by his enraged wife. Sometimes Naruto envies Shikamaru's life.

Anyway, he couldn't let his mom know of his complete and utter hatred of Uchiha Sasuke. Not only because the bastard's mother is her friend, but because then that would reveal Naruto's true place at school. The place of rock bottom on the social ladder.

Becoming class president will fix that. And this year, he has even more ideas on how to gain votes.

Stepping into the office, the first thing that Naruto notices is that it is completely empty and devoid of life. This is a relief because Naruto just wants to get in and out before people see what he is doing and laugh at him.

He's grabbing a nomination form out of the box and furiously scribbling out the information, attempting to be as neat as possible so that they don't reject him because the form was illegible, when a voice disrupts his thoughts.

"Hn," is all the voice says with distaste.

Naruto nearly jumps out of his skin, and reflexively hides the paper under his arms. He looks up to see who has made such an annoyed noise at him, when he realizes that there is only one bastard capable of that.

"Sasuke!" Naruto blurts, unthinking and surprising himself. Sasuke stares back with equally wide eyes. "Don't you run on the track in the morning?"

Sasuke scowls before biting out, "Of course. But I have to clean up in here before I go out there."

Right. Sasuke was class president every year so far. He practically is guaranteed the position along with the student office being his property. Damn bastard ruining Naruto's attempts at accomplishing just _one _thing. Not that Naruto has had much of a chance anyway; he can't even make it to be a second round candidate let alone go head to head with the Uchiha snob.

"Hah, you complain too much, Sasuke," Naruto claims offhandedly. "I would make a much better class president."

Sasuke snorts, turning his head to the side and folding his rather toned arms over his flat chest. "You? Class president? I think that requires at least a brain to even run for the spot. From what I remember of the class rankings, you got dead last."

Tan hands clench into fists, teeth grinding together and whiskered cheeks stretch over cheekbones. Sasuke opens his mouth to say more, but Suigetsu strolls casually in, suddenly taken aback by the company.

"Sasuke-kun," Suigetsu whines, "you should have told me that you're handing out pity to losers. I have wanted to talk to that Shikamaru guy since sophomore year. Wanted to ask him how he can be so lazy yet so smart…"

"Shut the fuck up, Suigestu," Sasuke replies, coolly, and stalks towards the door, grabbing the sleeve of his friend's purple t-shirt and dragging him away.

"Byebye, Naruto-kun," Suigetsu shouts jokingly as he disappears behind the doorframe.

Typical of Sasuke who have friends that break school rules. That Suigetsu guy isn't supposed to be wearing his normal clothes to school. Then again, that bastard's friends probably get special benefits because of his damn god-status at Konoha High School.

Naruto drops his application into the correct bin for it, and stalks out of the room. His bad mood is already brewing and the day hasn't even begun. Black shoes round the corner and run straight into a teenager with black hair bunched at the top of his head.

"Shikamaru!" Naruto exclaims once he realizes that he literally bumped into his friend. "What are you doing here?"

"Well," Shikamaru lazily cradles the back of his head with his arm, "I was summoned to the school offices by Asuma-sensei. Ugh."

"Why would he want to talk to you?"

"Hmmm," Shikamaru ponders, "I suppose it must be another game."

"Hahaha, very funny Shika."

"I'm not kidding, you idiot. Last time he called me to his office, we played some sort of game. It was a wooden puzzle, kind of like something that an idiot like you would get too frustrated to do and quit. But, I solved it and he let me go. Such a waste of time. He interrupted my nap."

"Wow," Naruto responded after a moment. "Asuma-sensei is really strange."

"Hmmmm."

"See you in class, then," Naruto grins, turning on his heel and heading towards the classroom.

* * *

><p>Shikamaru doesn't turn up for the rest of the day. On top of that, Choji is absent and thus not at the cafeteria during lunch. Naruto paces around for a while, grumbling and upset, before he retreats to the back of the school. There are these convenient steps where no one usually goes at lunchtime, and they make a great spot to eat lunch. Alone.<p>

Just as the blond boy is finishing off his meal, he hears footsteps and sees a shadow from behind his head. He doesn't think much of it until a voice speaks.

"What are you doing out here?" The voice asks in an accusatory sort of fashion. Naruto spins around with simultaneously standing up in a defensive posture. He meets a pair of narrowed black eyes.

"What does it matter to you?" He snorts, crossing his arms.

"Well, dobe," Sasuke sneers, "students aren't supposed to be out here during lunch."

"Says who?"

"Some of _us _are class president and actually pay attention to school rules."

Naruto humphs, thinking for a bit before replying, "What are you gonna do, then? Rat me out? Force me to go back in there? Beat me up?"

The skin between Sasuke's eyes scrunch up and his mouth twists into a scowl. "Why would I do any of those things?"

"Why wouldn't you? I'm just the school loser, eh?" Naruto laughs, now, almost bitterly. He is so used to the treatment that he doesn't even get upset over it anymore, though the initial hurt does show in his voice.

"Hn."

"Go away," Naruto demands, childishly. "I don't need any _pity _handouts, thank you. You can tell that Suigechu guy, too."

"It's Suigetsu," Sasuke says, quietly. "And not everyone at this school thinks in the same way, Naruto."

Naruto, who had been leaning casually against the concrete pillar at the bottom of the stairs, suddenly stiffens. Something about hearing his name from the voice of someone so…revered, (by the other students at school, of course), just didn't feel right. Or maybe it just felt too natural and not full of the same hatred that Neji, Suigetsu, or even Sakura inspired in their tones when referring to the blond.

"Chk," Sasuke clicks, sharply turning his head away like he was mad about wasting so much time on the subject. "See you tomorrow, then."

The Uchiha boy's back now faces Naruto and he begins to make his way up the steps and into the doorway, and down the hall. Naruto's feet fumbles, but he runs into the building.

"Wait!"

Sasuke stops his steps and merely turns his head so that he is looking behind his shoulder. A twitch implies attention.

"My mom," Naruto calls from afar. "She is friends with your mom."

Sasuke blinks. "Okay."

And Sasuke walks away, leaving behind the younger teenager who feels his heart pummeling in his chest.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Okay so maybe this chapter wasn't exciting enough. But I rather liked it. I hope you enjoy! And maybe tell me if it was good? :)


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